Marine engine exhaust



Jan. 3, 1939. G. w. GIBBS, JR

MARINE ENGINE EXHAUST Filed March 22, 1938 G. W. 65115.58 eff.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an exhaust designed for use in connection with internal combustion engines on boats and while it is designed primarily for use in connection with small motor boats, it is also useful wherever an internal combustion engine is employed as a means for propelling a boat of any size.

An object of the invention is to deliver the exhaust gases into an expansion chamber constantly cooled by the water on which the boat is floating whereby the gases are caused rapidly to condense and assume a volume far less than that of the hot gas delivered into the expansion chamher.

A further object is to provide an exhaust device of this character which, through its condensing action makes it possible to handle the exhaust gases much more economically than otherwise, it being possible to deliver them' out of the boat through a non-jacketed small tube.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character which, through the use of a small outlet tube, allows the chilled or condensed gases to flow outwardly through the tube and act as a check valve, because of their inertia, thereby tending to create a vacuum in the expansion chamber.

Another object is to eliminate or greatly reduce noise and vibration, increase the power and normal efficiency and to condense the gases in an economical way.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a section through a portion of the bottom of the hull of a boat with which is combined the exhaust device constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken transversely through a modified form of the device.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference l designates a condensing chamber suitably proportioned and which can be built into the hull H of a boat at the bottom thereof or at any other point in constant contact with the water under the boat. If preferred the condensing chamber can be made as an attachment to be applied to a boat already constructed. Such an arrangement has been illustrated in the drawing wherein the said chamber has a flange 2 extending around the base 3 thereof for attachment in any suitable manner to the outer surface of the hull. Thus the bottom 3 of the chamher is in constant contact with the water outside of the boat and by making this chamber of a metal or other material highly conductive of heat and cold, it will be apparent that the hot gases fed into the chamber from the exhaust manifold of the engine will be quickly chilled and condensed.

One form of the device, shown in the drawing, has the exhaust pipe 4, which leads from the exhaust manifold, extended into one end of the chamber 1 and then down-turned so as to direct the exhausting gases against the water chilled surface or bottom 3 of the chamber. It is designed to employ any suitable arrangement of baiiles for guiding the gases along this surface. For example, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the down-turned ends of the pipe 4 can discharge into an arcuate hood 5 mounted on the bottom 3 but spaced from the side walls of the chamber I. This hood is extended from one end wall of the chamber but terminates at a point spaced from the opposite end wall. Thus the hot gases, when delivered into the hood adjacent to one end thereof, will flow longitudinally within the hood and along the chilled surface or bottom 3 of the chamber to the outlet of the hood where they will rise within the chamber I so as to escape through a small unjacketed outlet pipe 6.

For the purpose of expediting the condensing action, any suitable arangement of fins or vanes can be arranged under the hood and in contact with the bottom of the chamber i. For example, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, an arcuate plate 1 can be secured on the bottom of the chamber 1 with its side portions curved upwardly but spaced from the sides of the hood. In Figure 3 parallel upstanding strips 8 secured on the bottom 3 of chamber l are located in the hood and extend longitudinally thereof so as to constitute cooling vanes or fins.

Assuming that a boat is equipped with a condensing chamber such as herein described and that the exhaust manifold is connected by pipe 4 to the device, it will be obvious that as the gases are exhausted from the engine they will be directed downwardly into the hood 5 and flow longitudinally of the hood and of the cooling vanes therein so as to be quickly chilled and condensed by the chilled surfaces contacted thereby, namely, the bottom of chamber I, the vanes l, and the walls of hood 5, the vanes and hood walls being chilled by conduction from the bottom 3. This chilling action is of course set up by the Water with which the bottom of chamber l contacts and which is located outside of the boat.

- When the gases are thus chilled they of course contract, thereby creating a partial vacuum because the chilled gases are of a volume only a fraction of that of the hot gases delivered into the chamber. Thus the chilled condensed gases can flow outwardly through the small unjacketed pipe 6 and easily disposed of. Because of the inertia of these chilled gases in their condensed form as they flow through pipe 6, a partial vacuum will be maintained within the chamber l during the operation of the engine so that the exhaust will not be retarded.

As before stated this device can be made as an integral part of the bilge or hull of a boat or it can be made as an attachment for application to the boat as shown. In either case it will be found an efiicient and economical means whereby the exhaust gases can be handled.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for chilling and condensing exhaust gases generated in a boat driven by an internal combustion engine, comprising a structure providing an expansion chamber, means for fastening said structure to a boat at a point Where one surface thereof is in constant contact with and cooled by the body of water which supports the boat, an exhaust pipe directing exhaust gases into said chamber and against said wall, means in the chamber for guiding the exhaust gases along the water cooled wall to condense them, and an outlet pipe for conducting the chilled condensed products of combustion from the chamber, said outlet pipe being of a diameter less than that of the exhaust pipe, the difference being such that condensed combustion products will be delivered under pressure and accelerated therethrough during the latter portion of each exhaust stroke of the engine and become substantially static in said outlet pipe during the intervals between said strokes, thereby to check the inflow of atmospheric air to said chamber.

2. A device for chilling and condensing exhaust gases generated in a boat driven by an internal combustion engine, comprising a structure providing an expansion chamber, means for fastening said structure to a boat at a point where one surface thereof is in constant contact with and cooled by the body of water which supports the boat, an exhaust pipe directing exhaust gases into said chamber and against said wall, means in the chamber for guiding the exhaust gases along the water cooled wall and delivering them into the chamber, supplemental means extending from the water cooled wall and cooperating therewith for chilling the exhaust gases while flowing along said wall, and an outlet tube extending from said chamber, said tube being of a diameter less than that of the exhaust pipe, the diameter of the outlet tube being such that the condensed combustion products will be delivered under pressure thereto and accelerated therethrough from the chamber during the latter portion of each exhaust stroke of the engine and become substantially static in said outlet tube during the condensation intervals between said. strokes, thereby to check the inflow of atmospheric air to said chamber and maintain a partial vacuum in the chamber during the respective condensation intervals.

3. A device for chilling and condensing exhaust gases generated in a boat driven by an internal combustion engine comprising a structure providing an expansion chamber, said chamber having a surface for constant contact with and to be cooled by the body of water which supports the boat, an exhaust pipe for directing exhaust gases into said chamber and against said water-cooled surface. to condense the gases, an outlet tube for conducting the chilled condensed products of combustion from the chamber into the atmosphere, said outlet tube being of a diameter less than that of the exhaust pipe, the diameter of the outlet tube being such that the condensed combustion products will be delivered under pressure thereto and accelerated therethrough from the chamber during the latter portion of each exhaust stroke of the engine and become substantially static in said outlet tube during the condensation intervals between said strokes, thereby to check the inflow of atmospheric air to said chamber and maintain a partial vacuum in the chamber during the respective condensation intervals.

GEO. W. GIBBS, JR. 

